“I worked in restaurants in places like France and Italy, and when you work in a restaurant that’s more formal, you go out and see a difference in nightlife and wine bars,” Brown said. “It was fun, exciting and they were very casual atmospheres.”

He’s also quite pleased with the new dining options that have popped up around the neighborhood. When he opened nearly 10 years ago, there weren’t many out-of-the-box establishments. But now, there are gastro pubs, places selling craft beers and more wine bars.
“It shows some thought,” Brown said “There is definitely something here in Queens and especially in Forest Hills.”